Displaying the best in business tourism

According to group MD Carol Weaving, the best in business tourism will be on display, giving the visitor the full picture of what the industry has to offer.

"The various provincial tourism authorities and major local authorities, such as Johannesburg, Cape Town and Tshwane, will provide the generic base from which the private sector will market its products and services. These include some of South Africa's top convention venues, hotels, lodges, tourist attractions and support services of the highest calibre."

A public/private partnership between Thebe and South African Tourism, Meetings Africa 2007 will be presented by the Gauteng Tourism Authority and is endorsed by the South African Meetings Industry Federation (SAMIF).

Weaving says interest in Meetings Africa from elsewhere on the continent has also shown tremendous growth. "There will be strong contingents of exhibitors from Zambia, Kenya and Mozambique for instance, as well as destination management companies that operate across the region.

"If you are an exhibitor, Meetings Africa is the place to be to meet serious buyers who may become potential or real clients. If you are a visitor, you will find the best venues for conference and events, the best ideas for team building or incentive travel as well as cutting-edge support services," she says.

Close on 100 international buyers will attend Meetings Africa, courtesy of the dti (Department of Trade and Industry). In 2006, the exhibition was attended by more than 2500 visitors, of which 82 were international hosted buyers and 39 were media representatives.

It will be preceded on 27 February, by a business tourism conference that is open to the entire business tourism industry. The conference is sponsored by the Johannesburg Convention Bureau and the City of Johannesburg.

For more information, go to www.meetingsafrica.co.za.